Let’s kick off a new month with some coinage. It’s time to lock in and find some solid props at a discount. It’s been a little bumpy over the past week so we will look for some solid trends and value to build up bankroll. As always, we will grab the NHL best bet value plays and weave our way through this tasty slate to find some of the best NHL player props of the day. We need a bounce back to help the 16-20 record on the articles.
We will be breaking down NHL best bets here at Betting News all playoffs long! Each article will look for VALUE, as in straights you can take to build up your bankroll or pieces you can use to beef up your parlays. All bets will be -135 or better odds. And while we will focus on NHL player props, there are times we will take sides and totals. So keep your eyes peeled here as we will drop these throughout the week.
And if you haven’t already be sure to check out some of my favorite futures and awards. So time to lace them up and get ready to ride with Betzky for my favorite NHL best bets of the day.
1. Brandon Hagel o2.5 SOG -125 on BetOnline:
Lightning forward Brandon Hagel high fives his teammates on the bench after scoring.
Brandon Hagel has been an absolute road dog all season. He has hit his SOG prop in all but one game while playing on the road and due to a tough matchup tonight we get this prop at a discount. It’s almost like the books are baiting the good price in hopes he finally misses. But I’ll take that chance and chase the volume.
First, Hagel’s season-long volume is comfortably ahead of this line. He has 75 shots in 24 games, which works out to 3.13 shots on goal per game for 2025-26. Hagel also tracks with 14 games of 3+ shots already this season, meaning he’s clearing 2.5 in well over half his outings. When a player’s average is meaningfully above the posted line and the hit rate is strong, you’re starting from a favorable baseline. To top off this NHL best bet, he averages over 8 shot attempts a game when playing on the road.
The matchup with the Islanders is also friendlier for shot volume than their reputation sometimes suggests. This year, New York is allowing 27.04 shots against per game, basically league-average and not the lockdown, low-event environment they’ve had in some past seasons. They’ve also had games where they bleed a ton of attempts — Boston just put 45 shots on them in a single night, for example.A team like Tampa, with a top-10 offense and strong territorial numbers, is well-positioned to generate its share of looks
2. Oliver Ekman-Larsson Point +165 on BetOnline:
Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been racking up points
The Toronto Maple Leafs blueline isn’t made up with many puck moving, all offense-no brakes types of defensemen. However, the addition of Oliver Ekman-Larsson has given them a solid two-way vet who can put up big minutes, and recently big points. This season, Ekman-Larsson has produced 17 points (3 goals, 14 assists) early in the 2025–26 campaign, indicating he remains a meaningful offensive contributor from the blue line. He’s trusted with significant ice time, giving him ample opportunity to impact offense via shots, chances, or playmaking, especially on the power play.
Tonight OEL will play against the team he won a Stanley Cup with, the Florida Panthers. The Panthers this season are surrendering ~26 shots on goal per game — among the higher totals league-wide in 2025–26.Against Florida specifically, defensemen (i.e. players like Ekman-Larsson) have averaged 8.09 shots per game this season. That suggests Florida’s defensive scheme or personnel is giving up more opportunities from the point than some teams — which plays directly into a defense-heavy offensive weapon like OEL. Add in a dash of revenge and it’s clear to see why this prop is an NHL best bet at big plus money value.
It doesn’t hurt that OEL has been on a tear lately. He has a point in 9 straight games and 11 of his last 12 games. While he has been moved to the 2nd power play, he still plays on the top line and has been getting big minutes on the top pair. Given OEL’s consistent ice time, point production rate, role on the power play, and the Panthers’ tendency to allow point-shots from defensemen this season — backing him for at least one point on December 2 is a very reasonable, value-oriented bet.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick
3. Wyatt Johnston o2.5 SOG -120 on BetOnline:
Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston makes a move around the Avalanche defense.
Much like Brandon Hagel, Wyatt Johnston has always been a bit better with his SOG prop on the road. And tonight he gets a sneaky good matchup against a Rangers team who over the last 10 games have been allowing the 6th most shots against to centers. The case for Wyatt over 2.5 SOG is a mix of elite current form, shot volume, and a neutral-to-friendly matchup. And his inconsistency between home and road splits gives it a discounted price making it an NHL best bet.
To start with volume: Johnston is averaging 2.88 shots on goal per game this season, with 75 shots in 26 games for Dallas. That puts his season average essentially right on the line, but the distribution is what bettors care about. His game log shows a healthy run of 3–5 shot outings, including recent performances of 4 SOG vs Edmonton, 3 vs Anaheim, 5 vs Florida, 4 vs Tampa Bay, and 4 vs Ottawa, demonstrating that when he’s rolling, he doesn’t just barely clear this number — he beats it comfortably.
The matchup with the Rangers is not a red flag for shot volume. New York is allowing 28.59 shots against per game this season — basically league-average, not the suffocating defensive environment they’ve been in some past years. Their recent move to a more offense-tilted look with a five-forward top power play unit (with Adam Fox out) also nudges games toward higher-event, chance-trading scripts rather than grind-it-down rock fights. That’s exactly the kind of game flow that feeds Johnston’s shot volume, especially with Dallas controlling a lot of play during their current hot streak.
Historically, Johnston has shown he can generate against this opponent. He has multiple games with 3+ shots vs the Rangers, including a 9-shot explosion on December 20, 2024, plus 3 SOG in their most recent meeting at MSG on January 7, 2025. Put it all together — near-3.0 SOG average, a game log dotted with 4–5 shot outings, a top-six, top-PP role on a red-hot Stars team, a Rangers defense allowing close to 29 shots a night, and a proven history of generating volume specifically against New York — and Wyatt Johnston over 2.5 shots on goal looks like an NHL best bet.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick